Automatic trip mechanism for bundle-carriers of harvesters.



No. 838,668. PATEN'IBD DEC. 18, 1906. T. THOMPSON.

AUTOMATIC TRIP MECHANISM FOR BUNDLE CARRIERS 0F HARVESTERS.

' PPLIoATIoH FILED 11.23.10. 190e,

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PATENTBD DEO. 18. 1906.

T. THOMPSON. AUTOMATIC TRIP MEIGHANISM IORBUNDLE CARRIERS OP HARVESTERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1906.

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T. TEGMESOE. AUTOMATIC TEIEMEGEANISM EOE BUNDLE GAEEIEES'EE HARVESTERS.

AYPLIUATION FILED FEB. 1 0, 1906.

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W1 YNESSEA NKENTO/e UNITED STATES PATENT OEETOE.

AUTOMATIC TRIP IVIECHANISNI FOR BUNDLE-CARRIERS OF HARVESTERS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906- Application iled February 10, 1906. Serial No. 300,491.

T0 a/Z whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paullina, in the county of OBrien and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Automatic Trip Mechanism for Bundle-Carriers of Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to self-binding harvesters of that class which are equipped with bundle-carriers; and the invention has for its object to provide a simple and improved mechanism whereby the bundle-carrier will be automatically tripped to a discharging position at predetermined intervals.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the trip mechanism as to enable .it to be operated manually at any time without waitin T for the automatic trip mechanism to perform its functions.

Other objects are to simplify and improve the construction and operation of this class of devices.

lith these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations, and modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 S in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken on the plane indicated by the line 4 4 in Eig. 1. 5 is a .perspective detail view of one of the clamps or devices applied to the main drive-wheel for the purpose of actuating the trip mechanism.

Corresponding parts in the several 'figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference. Y

It maybe stated at the outset that this invention is with slight and obvious modifications, such as will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, applicable to varinected, by means of a link 2, with an arm orA crank 3, extending from a trip-shaft 4, which is supported in suitable bearings parallel to the rock-shaft R. The trip-shaft 4 has a crank 5, which is pivotally connected with the free end of a tripping-slide 6, the opposite end of, which carries a lug 7, extending through and guided in an approximately semicircular slot S, formed in the outer Wall 9 of a casing O, supported upon the frame of the machine. l/Vhen the bundle-carrieris in a bundle-supporting position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the link 2, connecting the armsl and 3, lies in aplane to one side ofin the present instance below-the plane of the axis of the trip-shaft 4 and the trip-lug 7 engages the forward extremity of the slot 8. It will thus be seen that the bundle-carrier may not be moved to a discharging position until the trip -shaft 4 is rocked suffi.- ciently to move the link 2 to the opposite side-in the presentinstance slightly above the axis of the trip-shaft. This oscillatory movement of the t-rip-shaft maybe effected by moving the trip-lug 7 a short distance rearward in the slot 8, after which the weight of the load upon the bundle-carrier will depress the latter to complete the tripping movement.

Means to be hereinafter described are provided by the present invention for engaging and operating the lug 7 to actuate the trip mechanism, as ust described, at regular pre.- determined intervals. l/Vhen the bundlecarrier is in the position shown in Fig, 1, it is obviously locked against accidental displacement, and it will be observed that only a relatively short movement of the lug connected with the slide 6 is necessary to trip the carrier.

The casing O, previously referred to, in addition to the outer wall 9 has an inner wall 10 and an intermediate partition 11. The

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outer wall is so designated because it is y relatively distant from the main driving-j wheel 12 of the machine, while the inner wall 10 is relatively near said wheel. 1t is also to be understood that the members 9, 10, and 11 do not necessarily constitute the walls and partition of a casing, these terms being merely adopted for convenience in describing the parts. The precise construction and appearance of these parts may be greatly modi- 'lied within the scope of the invention.

A shaft 13, supported for rotation in the walls or members 9 and 10, carries a pair of ratchet-wheels 14 and 15 of equal size and shape and the teeth or ratchets of which are in alinement with each other. The shaft also carries a drum 16, which has been shown as disposed intermediate the ratchet-wheels 14 and 15. Connected with said drum is one end of a flexible member 17 theopposite end of which is under tension by some such means as a suitably-arranged weight 18, which in the present instance has been shown as supported byl a lever 19, with which the flexible element 17 is connected. 1n case it shall not be convenient to arrange the Weight-carrying lever 19 beneath the shaft 13, as shown in the'accompanying drawings, the flexible element may be suitably guided to enable the lever orweight to be supported, for instance, in an elevated out-of-the`way position. The flexible element 17 is adapted to be'wound upon the drum 16 when the latter andthe shaft 13,with its related parts, is rotated in a forward direction by means provided for the purpose. tached to and wound upon the drum 16, in a direction opposite to the flexible member 17, another fiexible member 20, by the unwinding of which the drum and its related parts may be rotated at any time when it shall be desired to do so, said flexible member 2() being extended to a position where it may be conveniently actuated by the operator of the machine.

A suitably-guided bar 21 is provided with a laterally-extending lug 22, constituting a pawl which is adapted to engage and to actuate the ratchet-wheel 14 so as to rotate the latter step by step in a forward direction. The bar 21 is provided at its end with a lug 23, extending through and guided in a slot 24 in an upright 25, which is supported adjacent to the drive-wheel 1.2. The guide-slot 24 is approximately ogee-shaped-that is to say, it has a portion which is concentric with the axis of the wheel 12, and it has a terminal portion which constitutes a switch which is eccentric to the axis of the wheel. The lug 23 carries a wheel or antifriction-roller 26.

Suitably mounted upon the spokes of the driving-wheel is a clamping member M, which is capable of being readily adjusted toward or from the axis of the wheel and the body of f which is provided with a laterally-extending finger 27, adapted to engage the antifriction- There is also atroller 26 upon the lug 23 of the bar 21. The parts are so disposed with relation to each other that when the drive-wheel rotates the finger 27 will strike the antifri ction-roller when the bar 21 is at the rearward limit of its movement, and the lug carrying the antifriction-roller being guided in the slot 24, a portion of which is concentric with the axis of the driving-wheel, the bar 21 will be moved in a forward direction until the lug 23 escapes into the portion of the groove 24 which is eccentric to the axis of the drive-wheel and which constitutes the switch, at which point the iinger 27 passes out of engagement with the antifriction-roller.

The wheelv 12 has been shown as being equipped with an additional clamping member M', which. is in every respect identical with the clamp M, being provided with a laterally-extending finger' 27/. This is for the purpose of actuating a bar 28, extending in the opposite direction to the bar 21, with which it is connected by a suitably-guided flexible element 29. The oflice of the bar 28 is simply to retractv the bar 21, and said bar 2S maybe located in any convenient position where it may be actuated intermittently alternately with. the bar 21.4 1t may be conveniently disposed at the opposite side of the wheel from the bar 21, and it is provided with a lug 30having an antifriction-roller 31,' and guided through. an ogee-shaped slot 32 in an upright The clamping members M and 1W have been shown as mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the drive-wheel 12.

The free end of the bar 28 is pivotally connected with a crank 34, which is loosely l mounted upon the trip-shaft 4. The latter carries adjacent to the arm or crank 34 afixed crank 35, having a lateral pin 36, which extends in the path of the loose crank 34. so that after the tripesha ft 4 has been rocked or oscillated to a tripped position it will be restored to its normal locked position by the action of the crank 34 engaging the pin 36 of the crank 35. At all other times the crank 34 will vibrate freely upon the shaft 4 without disturbing the position of the latter;

The pawl member 22, connected with the bar 21, extends into and is guided in a slot 37 in the partition member 11 between the ratchet-wheels 14 and 15, said slot containing a guide-tongue 38, which is sustained, as by means of a bracket 39, at the side of the partition which. is distant from the bar 21. The forward extremity or point of the tongue 3S terminates intermediate the ends of the slot 37 at a distance from the front extremity of said slot which is slightly less than the length. of a single tooth of the ratchet-wheel v 14. Thus when the latter is at restthe point of one'of its teeth will loe in approximate alinement with. the forward. extremity or point of the tongue 38. The tooth thus lOO IIO

located is the one which is engaged and actuated by the pawl member 22 upon the forward throw or movement of the bar 21, and the extent of the movement of said bar is sufficient to carry the pawl member 22 to the forward extremity of the slot 37, thus carrying the point of the next tooth of the ratchet-wheel into alinement with the forward extremity of the tongue 38. Thus when the bar 21 recedes the pawl 22 will ride over the tongue 38 to the rear extremity of the slot, while when it moves in a forward direction the pawl member will travel beneath the tongue 38 and will be thereby guided into engagement with the ratchettooth, the point of which is in registry with the forward extremity of the tongue.

The ratchet-wheel 14 has a radially-extending arm 40, which I term the check-arm and which serves in conjunction with a coperating member 41 to determine the intervals between the operation of the trip mechanism. The member 41 is a stop pin or peg which is adjustable in any one of a plurality of perforations or recesses 42 in the wall 10, said perforations or recesses being located in an arc concentric with the axis of the shaft 13 and said perforations or recesses being spaced apart to correspond with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 14. 1t will be seen that the pin or peg 41 being disposed in the path of the check-arm serves to arrest the reverse rotation of the ratchet-wheel 14 under the stress of the tension device including the weight 18 at a point which is determined by the location of said stop-peg. The extent to which the ratchet-wheel 14 and related parts shall be permitted to rotate prior to the actuation of the trip mechanism proper may thus be determined, it being understood that at no time will the ratchet-wheel 14 quite accomplish an entire revolution. 1t will be remembered, however, that every time the ratchet-wheel 14 advances one tooth or step the machine advances one entire revolution of the main driving-wheel, usually between nine and ten feet, so that it will not be found necessary to burden the ratchet-wheel 14 with an excessive number of teeth. Vhen the ratchet-wheel 14 approaches the point where the trip mechanism is actuated, the check-arm 40 will pass into the path of the pawl member 22, and the latter will thus actuate the ratchet-wheel during the full extent of the'movement of the bar 21.

For the purpose of preventing the shaft 13 and related parts from rotating reversely during the operation of the machine under the impulse of the weight 18 there is provided a locking-pawl 43, mounted pivotally at 44 and engaging the toothed periphery of the ratchet-wheel 15, one of the teeth of which is provided with an engaging device, such as a set-screw 45, which may be readily adjusted to engage the under side of the pawl 43 at the proper time to lift said pawl from engagement with the ratchet-wheel, thus releasing the latter. An arm or key 46, pivoted at 47, is provided with a lip or lug 48, adapted to engage a fixed stop member 49, whereby the arm or key 46 is normally supported above the free end of the'pawl 43.. The latter, however, when engaged by the member 45 is elevated to a position where it will move past the free end of the key 46, the latter being temporarily displaced in an upward direction to admit of the passage of the pawl, which latter when relieved from engagement with the member 45 will settle back in the direction of the periphery of the ratchet-wheel, but will be intercepted by and remain supported upon the free end of the key 46, being thereby retained out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel, .which latter is now free to rotate in a reverse direction under the impulse of the weight 18. For the purpose of resetting the pawl at the proper time the ratchetwheel is provided with a radially-extending arm 50, secured to one side thereof and adapted to contact with a flange 51, depending at one edge of the key 46, said flange beingthus exposed to contact with the member 50, while the latter will clear the pawl 43. By this simple mechanism when the ratchetwheel 15 approaches the limit of its reverse rotation, which, as previously described, is regulated bythe position of the stop member 41., the key 46 will be su'Hiciently elevated to permit the pawl 43 to drop back into engagement With the ratchet-wheel, while the key 46 as soon as the arm 50 passes out of engagement wit-h the flange 51 will settle back to its normal position, where it is sustained by the lip 48 engaging the stop member 49. As the position of the stop member 41 is changed on the partition 10 the position of the arm 50 must be correspondingly changed on the wheel 15. The ratchet wheel or disk 15 is provided with a suitably-disposed radiallyextending trip-arm 52, whereby at the proper moment the-lug 7, connected with the trip- .bar 6, is engaged for the purpose of actuating the trip mechanism of the bundle-carrier.

In the operation of this device the position of the stop member 41 determines the intervals that are permitted to elapse between the operations of the trip niech anism of the bundle-carrier by limiting the extent to which the shaft 13 and related parts iray be reversely rotatedunder the i'rpulse of the setting irechanisni, including the weight 18, and consequently fixing the extent, or the number of notches, to which the ratchetwheels 14 and 15 shall be rotated between the setting and the actuation of the trip irechanisni. The position of the stop nien..-

ber 41 will obviously be determined by the condition of the grain and by the number of bundles which it may be desired to accumulate upon the bundle-carrier.

At each rotalOO tion of the main driving-wheel 12 the operating-bar is moved once in a forward or feeding direction and is once retracted by the advancing movement of the bar 28. By each forward movement of the bar 21 the ratchetwheel 14 is rotated to the extent of one tooth or notch, all parts connected with said ratchet-wheel being correspondingly moved. This operation continues until the check-arm 40 moves into the path of the pawl member 22, connected with the slide 21, this position being indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. When the ratchet-wheel 14 is inthis position, the ratchet-wheel 15 occupies the position shown in Fig. 3, by reference to which it will be seen that the trip-arm 52'has advanced to the lug 7, occupying a position where further advance will result in the displace'nent of said lug and the consequent actuation of the tripping mechanism of the bundle-carrier. At the same time the pawl-actuating member 45 is two notches behind its pawl-engaging position. By the next forward movement of the bar 21 the ratchet-wheel 14 will be rotated to the extent of two notches, thus causing the arm 52 to operate the tripping mechanism of the bundle-carrier with absolute certainty, this operation being fully accomplished before the member 45 reaches the pawl 43. The movement of the wheel 14, however, is not checked until the member 45 advances sufficiently to lift the pawl to a nonengaging position, where it is sustained by the key 46 in the manner previously described. By the advancing rotation of the ratchet-wheel the flexible member 17, connected with the weight 18, has been wound upon the drum 16, thus elevating the weight, which is now ready to reversely rotate the drum 16 and shaft 13 with all related parts. This reverse rotation is speedily accomplished, and it continues until the check-arm 40 strikes the obstructing member 41. The several parts are thus `restored to initial position, the arm 50 serving to engage the flange 51 of the key 46, so as to reset the lockpawl 43. Obviously the machine has not ceased toy advance during the operation of the trip mechanism, and the bundle-carrier having been tripped will'thus be suffered to drag upon the ground during an interval which, while short, will be sufficient to enable the bundles to be fully discharged, after which the bundle-carrier is reset by the operation of the bar 28, connected with the crank 34, which by engaging the lug 36 of the crank 35 upon the shaft 4 oscillates the latter, causing the rock-shaft R of the bundle-carrier to be restored to initial position through the medium of connecting members herein previously described.

lf for any reason it shall be desired to actuate the trip mechanism prior to its being automatically actuated by the mechanism herein described, this may be accomplished site to the slot 8, into which the lug 7 of the tripping-bar 6 may be placed instead of in slot 8. Both of said slots 8 and 8a are concentric with shaft 13.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood. The general construction is simple and the device is thoroughly efficient for the purposes for which it is provided.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. A bundle-carrier comprising a frame, a bundle-carrier shaft journaled thereto and having an arm, a secondary shaft journaled to said frame and having an arm, a link connecting the two said arms together and normally disposed to one side of the axis of the secondary shaft, a bar operatively connected with the secondary shaft and having a laterally-extending lug, a guide receiving said lug, and means for intermittently engaging said lug to actuate the bar, thereby operating. the secondary and bundle-carrier shafts.

2. A bundle-carrier comprising a frame, a bundle-carrier shaft j ournaled thereto and having an arm, a secondary shaft j ournaled to the frame and having an arm, a means connecting the two arms together and locking the secondary shaft against rotation, a means for unlocking the secondary shaft to permit the bundle-carrier shaft to turn,r and means for restoring the bundle-carrier shaft to load-receiving position said means including an arm fixed to the secondary shaft and having a laterally-extending member, and an arm loosely mounted upon said secondary shaft and adapted to engage said laterallyextending member, and means for operating the loosely-mounted arm.

3. A bundle-carrier comprising a frame, a bundle-carrier shaft iournaled thereto, a secondary shaft j ournaled to said fra-me, means connecting the two said shafts together and including members coperating to constitute a lock-joint, an arm fixed to the secondary shaft and having a lateral extension, an arm loosely mounted upon said secondary shaft and adapted to engage said laterally-extending member, and means for vibrating the loose arm.

4. A bundle-carrier comprising a frame, a supporting-wheel therefor, a bundle-carrier IOO IIO

shaft journaled thereto, a secondary shaft journaled to said frame in parallel relation to the bundle-carrier shaft, a means connecting said shafts together and adapted to be moved to such position as to lock said shafts against rotation, and a means operatively connected With said Wheel and adapted to move the shaft-connecting means into the shaft-locking position.

5. A bundle-carrier comprising a Wheelmounted frame', a bundle-carrier shaft journaled thereto, means connecting the Wheel with the bundle-carrier shaft for operating the same at intervals, and means for varying J the intervals of operation.

6. A bundle-carrier comprising a Wheelmounted frame, a bundle-carrier shaft journaled thereto, a means connecting the Wheel With the shaft for operating the same at intervals, said means comprising a disk mounted for rotation, means operated by the Wheel to rotate said disk intermittently, and a lug carried by the Wheel for engaging the connection of the bundle-carrier shaft to operate the Same.

7. A bundle-carrier comprising a Wheelmounted frame, a bundle-carrier shaft journaled thereto, a ratchet-Wheel journaled to the frame, a bar operated by the Wheel partially rotating said ratchet-Wheel, a means including a catch normally retaining said ratchetewheel against reverse rotation, means for moving said catch to release said ratchet- Wheel, and a bar o erated by said ratchet- Wheel to move the undle-carrier shaft.

8. A bundle-carrier comprising a Wheelmounted frame, a bundle-carrier shaft journaled thereto, a shaft journaled to the frame and having ratchet-Wheels, a bar operated by the said supporting-Wheel to rotate said ratchet-Wheels in unison, a catch engaging i one of the said ratchet-Wheels and normally retaining the said ratchet-Wheels from rel verse movement, a lug carried by one of the l ratchet-Wheels, a bar connected with the bundle-carrier shaft and operated by said i lug, a means for disengaging said catch from g the ratchet-Wheel, means for turning said Wheels in the reverse direction, and automatic means for bringing said catch into engagement With the ratchet-Wheel.

, Tn testimony that T claim the foregoing as y my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

THOMAS THOMPSON.

Witnesses 2 l ANDREW MELTVEDT, i GEORGE THOMPSON. 

